The Serpent's Throat was a well of utter darkness. Even with the flotilla of lantern fish accompanying them, Jake and Cal could see nothing but blackness, thick as velvet. Cal reached for Jake's hand. They swam at a dreamlike pace.
"We need to reach the bottom," she said in a hushed voice. "How can we tell there aren't rocks ahead?" asked Jake. The disorientation quickly began to make him nauseous.
"Watch the lanterns," said Cal. "We're safe with them."
Jake watch the little fish intently for any sudden evasive movement. The chill of the water seeped into his bones.
Down, down they sank. At least the lanterns spread out in a fan shape. They had reached the bottom.
"It's bare rock!" cried Jake. He groped cautiously about.
Some of the little fish followed his hand like an illuminated glove. "There isn't a shell or a stone here - it's barren rock." Then his foot hit something hard and smooth. Jake felt its curved surface with his toes. He turned and stretched out his glowing fingers towards it. "This might be a shell..."
The curious lanterns flitted all over the round shape. Jack brushed them aside and a hollow-eyed skull stared blindly back.
"Ugh!" Cal andJack shrank away.
"Let's get out of here," said Cal. "This can't be the place and Sylla couldn't have gone further if she was weak." Jake heard a tumble in her voice. He drew her close. Once again the crystal in his pocket became ice cold. Jake took it out.
"Look at this..."
Cal peered in the dim light. Her necklace also stung with cold. She lifted it over her head and pulled through her long hair.
"It's like mine."
They held the two beside each other. Both were of the same aquamarine blue. Both tear-shaped. Jake's was scratched, but there was no doubt they belonged to each other. Gently Jake pushed the two tears together and they fitted snugly, making a complete crystal dice.
"It gets very could sometime," said Jack, "like a nugget of ice."
"They bight had both belong to Sylla." Cal turned them over in her hand.
"Maybe the cold is a warning," said Jack.
From the darkness come a faint, low, chattering noice, answered with tiny clicks and whirrs.
Cal and Jake froze.
"What's that? Who's there?"
Nothing stirred, but quiet hissing whispers began, growing louder, nearer...
They strained to see anything in the black water. Then slowly, all around them, sparks of blue, yellow and green light pricked the dark. One by one, with their luminous lure of flashes, the monstrous creatures of the Serpent's Throat appeared: dragon fish with glassy eyes, devil fish with huge razor-toothed jaws, black sprawling squid.
The lantern fish panicked and fled. Jack lunged just in time to grab one and imprison it in his fist.
Something nipped Cal's fluke. She screamed.
"Get away!" She swung her arms and flicked her tail, raising spinning stones in the swirling water. Jake lashed out with his scraper. In a flash the lights went out. They were lift in darkness. The water settled about them.
"Where are you?"
Jake open his fist lightly. A chink of light escaped from the lantern fish which struggled frantically to swim free. Cal dashed to Jake.
"We're not welcomed here," she said, rubbing her bruise fluke. "Sylla wouldn't have come to such a dreadful place. How could I have even taught she would? We'll never fins the shell." Cal sank into a dismal mood. "Hold tight," she said. "Don't let the lantern go. If we lost her we'll never leave here alive."
They swam upwards nervously - feeling before them with every stroke. Their tiny weak light was little more than a comfort. It wasn't strong enough to show them the way.
Neither spoke. Then Jake broke the silence.
"I think she's growing dimmer," he said. "Is she dying?" "She's a wild creature. She will die if we keep her. but look!" Cal pointed to a pale glow above them. "That might be the entrance to Gaping Craw."
Jake open his fist and let the lantern fish go free. "Why did you do that?" gasped Cal. "If it isn't the way out we'll be---"
"Now we've all got a chance," interrupted Jake. "Look, she's swimming that way too. I think you could be right!"